Interrupter switch



1945. G. E. HEBERLEIN arm. 8 ,795

INTERRUPTER SWITCH Filed Dec. 2, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 28, 1945. G. E. HEBERLEIN EIAL 2,383,795

INTERRUPTER SWITCH Filed Dec. 2, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 28, 1945 INTERBUPTER SWITCH Gustave E. Heberleln, Jeannette, and Fred L.

Kradel, Greensburg,. Pa, assignors to Railwayv and Industrial Engineering Company, Greensburg, Pa., a corporation of Delaware 7 Application December 2, 1943, Serial No. 512,624

9 Claims.

This invention relates to interrupter switches and particularly to rotary type switches that have a pair of interrupter contacts that may open under load and, in series with the inter-- rupter contacts, a pair 01' contacts that separate after the interruption of current to provide a relatively long air or oil gap for voltage isolation.

Various types of "load-break disconnecting switches have been developed commercially-in recent years and the term interrupter switch has been employed to distinguish this type of switch from the original disconnecting switches that were not adapted to be opened to interrupt the normal current on an energized power or distribution line. Such interrupter switches have included, in general, the addition of a pair of loadbreaking or current-interrupting contacts in parallel with the usual disconnecting" contacts of a knife blade type of switch, and operating mechanism for effecting an opening of the knife blade disconnecting contacts prior to the separation of the load-break interrupter contacts.

Objects of the present invention are to provide interrupter switches that include disconnecting or voltage isolation contacts of the rotary switch type. An object is to provide an interrupter casing and operating mechanism of the switch;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a double throw type of interrupter switch embodying the invention;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary sectional views illustrating the switch parts in, respectively, full open position, partially open position, and full closed position;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary central section, on a larger scale, of the current-interrupter switch in the openposition, shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side view, on an enlarged scale, of the switch elements in the intermediate position shown in Fig. 6;

switch that includes a rotary type voltage isolation switch in series with a quick-break deionizing switch. More specifically, an object is to switch that is actuated by a rotary operating arm, the operating arm constituting the movable blade of a disconnecting or voltage isolation switch. Other objects are to provide, in interrupter switches of the character specified, novel arrangements of main current-carrying contacts in parallel with the interrupter contacts, and novel constructions for effecting the opening of the interrupter contacts after the opening of the main current-carrying contacts and prior to the opening of the disconnecting switch contacts.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification when taken with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a multi- Fig. 10 is a fragmentary horizontal section, but with the elements of the current-interrupting switch omitted, of the switch as seen on the plane indicated by line l0l0 of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a. fragmentary side elevation, with parts in section, of a current-interrupting unit having a modified construction for effecting a quick break.

In the drawings, the reference numeral l identifies the casing to which a cover plate 2 is hermetically sealed to form a housing for a three pole, single throw interrupter switch embodying the invention. One set of terminal connections to the multiple switch is through the pothead 3 at the top of the casing I, and the other set of terminal connections is made through individual sleeves 4 that connect the rear of the switch casing I to the housing of an associated electrical unit, for example, a transformer. This set of terminal conductors 5 extend through the usual insulator bushings 6. Individual insulator bushings 1 pass through the upper wall of the casing from the pothead 3 to support terminals 8 that are connected by flexible jumpers 9 to generally cylindrical socket members Ill of a plunger type switch. The socket member III of each phase is pivotally supported, by a pivot pin II, from an insulator l2 mounted on channel member l3 that is fixed to the casing 2. A tube ll of insulating material is telescoped into and fixed to the socket member [0 to form the arc-interrupting chamber for the conducting tube I5 of the plunger switch, the conducting tube I5 being coupled to crank arms l6, as will be described later in detail, for actuation thereby." There are a pair of crank arms It for each switch unit, and the sets of crank arms are secured to axially alined insulators I! that are supported by stub shafts Is for angular movementby a handle 'or crank arm [9. A stop plate 20 is secured to the casing l and has stops 2| limiting the angular movement of the handle l3 and the crank arms i6, and an interlock device 22 may be mounted on the stop plate 20 for cooperation with a notch in the handle l9 to lock the interrupter switch against opening until a preselected condition of associated equipment is established.

The pair of crank arms IQ of each switch unit are connected by a pin 24 on which a pair of contact plates 25 and leaf springs 28 are mounted, the leaf springs being located outside the contact plates 25 and pressing both sets of ends of the contact plates towards each other to establish good contact engagements with the stationary arcuate contact 21 when the interrupter switch is closed, and with the base of the U-shaped by-pass or main current-carrying switch member 28, see Figs. 6 and 10, that is pivotally supported on crank arms 5 by a bolt 25 for engagement with the socket member ID in the switch-closed position, see Fig. 7. The contact bolt 29 passes through perforations or notches in the inner ends of the contact plates 25 and springs 28 to retain the same in radial alinement with the crank arms IS. The arcuate contacts 21 are mounted on insulators 3| secured to a supporting channel 32, and are electrically connected to their respective terminal conductors 5 by flexible jumpers 33.

The switch elements as described above, and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 in a single throw interrupter switch, may be incorporated in a double throw switch, as shown in Fig. 4, by providing a second arcuate contact 21 at the opposite side 01. the axis of the rotary blade members formed by the crank arms l6 and contact plates 25. The socket member ID of each plunger switch is preferably supported by an insulator 34 secured to the top of the casing l in the double throw switches. and the terminal connections to the socket members comprise jumpers 35 to terminal conductors 36 that pass through the rear wall of the casing through insulator bushings 31. The arcuate contacts 21' are supported from the rear casing wall by insulators 3|, and the jumper connections 33, 33 from the contacts 21 and 21' respectively extend to terminal conductors, not shown, that extend through and are insulated from the bottom wall of the casing.

As illustrated in Figs. 5 to 9, the plunger or current-interrupting switch units each include an annular arcing contact 38 in the cylindrical socket member ID at the upper end of the interrupter tube l4, and a cooperating arcing contact 39 at the upper end of the conducting tube [5 of the plunger assembly. Contact fingers 40 insure positive electrical contact between socket l and conducting tube i5. A tube 4| of horn fibre or the like is secured to the conducting tube l5, above the arcing contact 39. The horn fibre tube 4| is moved downwardly upon an opening movement of the plunger switch to pass into the insulating material tube 14 and cooperate therewith to limit the arcing chamber to an annular space of restricted radial dimension in which the arc is closely confined between walls of insulating material that give off de-ionizing gases when raised to high temperatures by the arc.

The conducting tube l of the plunger assembly is sprint connected to the crank arms It by a piston rod 42 and coil spring 43 within the tube, the lower end of the piston rod being secured to the base of the U-shaped by-pass switch member 28. The lower end of the tube i5 carries a flanged sleeve 44 that cooperates with spring latch fingers 45 on the lower end of the interrupter tube [4 to delay the opening movement of the switc plunger when the crank arms "5 are turned counterclockwise to open the interrupter switch. A coil spring 48 is preferably arranged around the ends of the latch fingers 45 to insure such relatively high resistance to outward movement oi the latch fingers 45 that the flanged sleeve 44 can not be released from the latch fingers by a force less than that required to compress the adjacent coils of spring 43 into contact with each other, i. e. the spring latch 44, 45 can be released only by continued rotary movement of the crank arms i6 after the spring 43 is fully compressed, as illustrated in Fig. 6. This construction insures a positive timing of the operation of the plunger switch with respect to the angular displacement of the rotary blade I6, 25 of the voltage-isolating switch.

The by-pass switch member 28 is separated from the socket contact [0 upon a relatively small rotation of the crank arms IE to open the interrupter switch, and the Spring 43 is compressed within the plunger tube l5 by the further rotation until the spring is fully collapsed, Fig. 6. The contact plates 25 are still in engagement with the relatively long arcuate contacts 21 at this intermediate position of the switchgear, and a further rotation of the crank arms l6 forces the flanged sleeve 44 beneath the spring fingers 45. The strongly compressed spring 43 then forces the plunger assembly downwardly rapidly to carry the movable arcing contact 33 across and below the stationary arcing contact 38. Any are resulting from this opening of the conductive path is quickly suppressed by de-ionization, the circuit is positively opened as the by-pass contacts 28 are separated from the socket member in by a gap that cannot be bridged by the line voltage. The continued rotation of the crank arms is carries the contact plates 25 along and beyond the stationary contact 21 to open up a relatively long gap, in air or in oil, for voltage isolation. Upon reclosing the interrupting switch, the contact plates 25 engage the stationary contact 21, and further movement of the crank arms i6 moves the arcing contacts 38, 39 into engagement simultaneously with, or substantially simultaneously with, the engagement of the by-pass switch contact 28 with the socket member Ill.

An alternative construction for the spring latch, as shown in Fig. 11, comprises a spear-shaped member 48 at the tip of the plunger assembly for cooperation with a spring member 49 secured within and to the upper wall of the socket member Ill.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific constructions herein shown and described, and that various modifications that may occur to those familiar with the design and construction of switchgear fall within the scope of our invention as set forth in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In an interrupter switch, the combination with a stationary contact, and a rotary blade for movement into and out of engagement with said stationary contact, of a plunger switch comprising a pivotally supported socket member and a cooperating plunger member, and means connecting said plunger member to said blade member for actuation thereby, said stationary contact and said socket member being the terminal elements of the interrupter switch.

2. In an interrupter switch, the invention as recited in claim 1, wherein said means includes spring means compress d by an opening move- 01, said insulating material sevolving de-ionizing ment of said blade member to exert pressure upon said plunger member to bias the same toward circuit-open position, in combination with latch means blocking movement of said plunger member by said spring means, and means for rendering said latch means inoperative upon a predetermined angular displacement of said blade member toward circuit-open position.

3. In an interrupter switch, the combination with a stationary contact, and a rotary blade having a relatively long range'of angular movement in contact with said stationary contact, of a plunger switch comprising a pivotally supported socket member and a cooperating plunger member telescoped into said socket member, means connecting said plunger member to said rotary blade for movement thereby into open-circuit condition prior to the separation of said rotary blade from said stationary contact, and a by-pass switch comprising contact means carried by said rotary blade and said socket member respectively, said by-pass switch contact means being opened by displacement of the rotary blade prior to the movement of the plunger-member into open-circuited condition.

4. In an interrupter switch, a voltage-isolation switch unit comprising a stationary arcuate contact, a pair of crank arms, insulator means carrying said crank arms and pivotally supported for rotation, a pair of contact plates and means supporting the same upon said crank arms, and spring means urging said contact plates towards each other for pressure-contact engagement with the edges of said arcuate contact, and operating means for rotating said insulator means to move said contact plates into and out of engagement with said arcuate contact.

5. In an interrupter switch, the invention as recited in claim 4, in combination with a plunger type switch unit in series with said voltage-isolation switch unit; said plunger type switch unit comprising a pivotally supported socket member carrying an arcing contact, a plunger member carrying a cooperating arcing contact, an arcing chamber tube of insulating material secured to said socket member, insulating material on said plunger member beyond the arcing contact theregases when an arc is drawn between said arcing contacts upon separation thereof by a circuitopening movement of said plunger member, and means coupling said plunger member to said crank arms for movement thereby.

6. In an interrupter switch. a plunger type switch unit comprising a socket member pivotally supported for rocking movement, an insulating material tube secured to said socket member, an

. arcing contact carried by said socket member, a

plunger'member telescoped into said tube and socket member, the outer portion of said plunger member being a tubular conductive member and the inner portion comprising insulating material, an arcing contact on said plunger member at the inner end of the conductive member, a piston and spring within said tubular conductive member, a crank arm, means connecting said piston to the crank arm for movement thereby to compress the spring, thereby biasing said "plunger member for switch-opening movement, means latching said plunger member against switch-opening movement, and means operable upon a preselected angular movement of said crank arm to render said latching means inoperative, whereby said compressed spring eflfects a rapid movement of the plunger member to separate said arcing contacts.

7. In an interrupter switch, the invention as recited in claim 6, wherein said latching means comprises cooperating spring and latch means on the plunger member and the insulating material tube. v

8, In an interrupter switch, the invention as recited in claim 6, wherein said latching means comprises cooperating spring and latch means on the plunger member and the socket member.

9. In an interrupter switch, the invention as recited in claim 6, in combination with a by-pass switch comprising contact means carried by said crank arm for engagement with said socket member upon movement of said crank arm to close said plunger type switch unit.

GUSTAVE E. HEBERLEIN. FREDL. mum 

